Have you ever tried hunting coyotes with a gun that’s only really capable of handling closer-range encounters? If you have, then you know how frustrating it is when you either miss entirely or know it isn’t even worth taking the shot. Calling coyotes is a lot of fun but it gets annoying fast if they get hung up at too far of a distance for the gun you have on hand. That’s why it’s such a good idea to have a coyote rifle that is chambered in a caliber that’s more than able to reach out and touch a semi-distant target. And since new rifles are constantly hitting the market, there are plenty of options. Here are our top five picks for coyote hunting rifles, in no particular order.
Savage 110 Carbon Predator
If you’ve never run a Savage Arms bolt-action rifle on a hunt, you’re missing out. Not only are their rifles well made, they’re accurate and fine-tuned with features to suit their purpose. The Savage 110 Carbon Predator is made for exactly what it sounds like: predator hunting, which includes coyotes. This rifle is available in a variety of calibers, but for our purposes, we’re focusing on the 22-250 Remington because it’s awesome.
The 110 Carbon Predator in 22-250 is a short-action rifle with a 22-inch barrel. That means this isn’t exactly a compact rifle, but it’s also not enormous. It has an overall length of 42.25 inches and an empty weight of 7.2 pounds (sans optics, of course). The barrel is carbon fiber wrapped stainless, and it has a 1 in 12 twist rate. It’s made to get the most out of your ammo and to stretch out to longer distances. Its effective range on coyotes is conservatively considered to be 350 yards, give or take, but there are many hunters who trust it to 500 yards. It’s all about using the correct ammo and being familiar with the drift and drop rate.
Browning X-Bolt Stalker Long Range
Although it’s not a requirement to include a 6.5 Creedmoor, we’d be doing the cartridge a disservice if we didn’t admit it does have solid hunting applications. The Browning X-Bolt Stalker Long Range is a rifle clearly built for precision at greater distances, and though it’s offered in quite a few calibers, the 6.5 Creedmoor is likely the best of the bunch for coyote hunters. Here’s the thing: This rifle is truly designed for long range, and that means it’s not the type of gun you want to tote through the woods and fields. It’s better suited to sets where you don’t have to walk in too far but still might need or want to talk a long shot.
The Browning X-Bolt Stalker Long Range in 6.5 Creedmoor has a 26-inch barrel, so it’s getting everything it can out of the round. It has an empty weight of seven pounds 10 ounces, so it isn’t exactly bulky, but its 46-inch overall length means it’s nearly four feet long and that can be harder to maneuver. It’s a magazine-fed bolt-action with a 4-round capacity. Also, it’s drilled and tapped, so it’s not overly difficult to add a scope. Other features include a stock with adjustable comb height, a top tang safety, and an extended bolt handle. If you want a well-made bolt-action rifle in 6.5 Creedmoor, this might be the perfect fit.
Christensen Arms Modern Hunting Rifle (MHR)
Had your eye on Hornady’s latest addition to the PRC family? Well, the Christensen Arms Modern Hunting Rifle just happens to be available chambered in 7mm PRC. In this chambering, the MHR has a 24-inch barrel length with a 1 in 8 twist rate. It’s built on an aluminum mini-chassis with V-block bedding, which significantly enhances accuracy, and it remains modular. And it features the gun maker’s all-new FFT stock, forearm, and grips, which are designed to be swapped out as the user desires to create configurations that fit whatever the gun’s specific application will be.
Features of the MHR in 7mm PRC include a stock that’s adjustable for both comb height and length of pull and a Trigger Tech trigger (if you’ve never used one, spoiler alert: they have beautifully crisp, clean breaks). The rifle also has a Picatinny rail over the receiver to majorly simplify adding optics and an accessory rail on the forend for lights or bipods. Best of all, it’s backed up by Christensen’s SUB-MOA accuracy guarantee. Yes, you have to bring the skills, but the gun can do it so long as you do your part.
Ruger American Predator
Maybe you don’t want to sink more than four digits into a coyote rifle or maybe you just want to dabble in other calibers. Whatever the reason may be, Ruger American Predator rifles are both budget-friendly and reliable, accurate guns. It’s the version chambered in 204 Ruger we’re checking out today because that’s a light, fast round with a great reputation for putting fur on the ground.
The Ruger American Predator in 204 Ruger has a 22-inch barrel and an overall length of 42 inches. So, once again, this isn’t a super compact rifle, but it’s short enough not to be a real problem. It has an empty weight of 6.6 pounds, making it the lightest weight rifle on our list so far, and a magazine capacity of 10.
204 Ruger is a great cartridge that can deliver some serious speed. What you need to know is that although the effective range of a 204 Ruger on coyotes is around 400 yards, it’s sensitive to crosswinds. The light bullets this round is loaded with are part of what makes it so fast, but that means winds can disrupt your hunt. To combat that, familiarize yourself with your rifle’s drift and drop rate and learn to read the wind.
Seekins Havak HIT
The Seekins Havak HIT is a top-performing rifle made to be sleek, lightweight, and aesthetically pleasing. From its purpose-built chassis to its quick-change barrels, it’s a gun made for ease of use and fantastic results down-range. This rifle is available chambered in 6mm Creedmoor, 6.5 PRC, 6.5 Creedmoor, 308 Winchester, and 6mm GT. It shares features across the board including a fully adjustable skeletonized stock, adjustable height magazine latch, and AR-style vertical grip. And, of course, it has the Picatinny rail needed for optics and the accessory rail for a good bipod.
This gun has open-source head space tenon specifications and changeable bolt heads. Basically, you can customize it however you wish. It’s a quality rifle made to be user-friendly and precise, and we’d expect nothing else from Seekins.
What’s your favorite coyote rifle? Even though these are all bolt-actions, yours doesn’t have to be. Share your thoughts in the comment section.
